


Secret Grove

by Kalira



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Youkai, Cuddling & Snuggling, Discord: Umino Hours, Fluff, Kitsune Umino Iruka, Kodama Yamato | Tenzou, Multi, Snow, Umino Hours Winter Bingo, Umino Hours Winter Bingo 2020-2021, Youkai, Youkai Hatake Kakashi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-28
Updated: 2021-01-28
Packaged: 2021-03-14 12:32:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,051
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29046186
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kalira/pseuds/Kalira
Summary: Only a question of safety would see Iruka leaving the hidden grove he and his lovers call home in the depths of winter, much less to visit a ningen village. Mission complete, he is eager to disappear back into that welcoming warmth.
Relationships: Hatake Kakashi/Umino Iruka/Yamato | Tenzou
Comments: 1
Kudos: 61
Collections: Kalira's Iruka Winter Bingo Stories (2020-2021), The Umino Hours Winter Bingo 2020





	Secret Grove

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the space 'Sharing Warmth' on [my Iruka Winter Bingo board](https://kalira.dreamwidth.org/33520.html)!
> 
> Also written because I needed some light fluff, and I had the mental image of small kitsune!Iruka tucked up against giant wolf!Kakashi's side under the huge spreading branches of a kodama's tree. . .

Iruka shivered as he slipped out of the hunter’s home, paws sinking into the snow. His ears tilted towards the approaching crunch of footsteps, and his tails flicked. He leapt, bounding into the shadows and swiftly disappearing from any hope of human sight.

Another few breaths had him safely among the trees of his home, and even if he _had_ been spotted - and Iruka was too good to be caught out so easily - few of the ningen in the village would have dared to follow here in the dark. Iruka grinned, settling into an easy lope that would see him through the wild paths to the deepest heart of the forest before the moon reached its zenith.

Iruka had to slow as he reached his goal, allowing the thick trees guarding the way time to shift slowly before him, broad trunks groaning and thorny branches bowing. Iruka wriggled through the pathway they opened for him, yanking his tails safely out just in time as it snapped closed once more behind him.

He yipped tetchily and the trees shuddered. Even _Iruka_ felt the throbbing weight of power that came to bear on them a moment later, and the trees shuddered again, the earth trembling beneath Iruka’s paws as they were shaken down to their roots. They rustled quietly, and Iruka huffed, turning his tails on them with a dismissive flick.

He picked up his pace again as he followed the winding path deeper still, right into a sheltered grove where even the snowy winds of winter were held somewhat at bay. Iruka shook himself as he crossed from pristine snow onto mossy rock, snow fluffing off his coat.

The gleaming white heap at the base of the largest, strongest tree - one never out of bloom, whatever the season - began to move, dispelling the illusion of being another snowbank as he lifted his head and uncurled, tail swishing. Iruka crossed to his lover with tails held high - then burrowed into Kakashi’s side, curling up tight to take advantage of his warmth.

Kakashi laughed, then shifted with a lazy yawn, curling around Iruka. He radiated warmth, and his body blocked out what ambient chill wasn’t held at bay by the magic of the sheltered grove - the magic of the great tree they rested against - and Iruka whined happily, relaxing there.

A moment later the trunk behind Kakashi creaked and knocked softly, and Tenzou stepped out into the air, bare feet sliding over Kakashi’s side as he laughed, tail wagging. Tenzou folded his legs and let himself settle on the earth beside them, stroking down Iruka’s back and reaching out with his free hand to rub under Kakashi’s jaw.

Iruka wriggled and climbed into his lover’s lap as Tenzou cuddled up against Kakashi’s broad side, crooning as his clever fingers stroked by the base of Iruka’s ears, then down his back to his flicking tails. Iruka shivered and stretched, making room for Kakashi’s head to nudge onto Tenzou’s lap beside him.

Tenzou buried his fingers in Kakashi’s ruff, his other hand continuing the lazy caresses over Iruka.

Iruka knew his lover didn’t feel the cold in the same way most creatures did, but still shivered just _looking_ at Tenzou in his light yukata; it was pale blue with bare, snowy branches patterned across it, but the pattern was _all_ that marked it being his winter clothing.

“Did you find the purported maps?” Tenzou asked, fingers curling against Iruka’s jaw.

Iruka huffed, tucking his head down onto his front paws. _“It’s just formless bragging.”_ he said, flicking an ear. _“I found the maps; they show barely more detail than the ones the ningen have had for generations, and **that** only around the river.”_

“That’s good.” Tenzou sighed, relaxing a little more, and Kakashi shifted behind him, letting him lean back.

Kakashi licked Iruka’s cheek and he yipped. _“We had to be sure.”_ he said, and Iruka sighed, nuzzling him.

 _“We did.”_ Iruka agreed. It was why he had gone, and he hadn’t needed to be pushed to do so, either. _“. . .I would say that next time **you** get to go spy on the ningen, but sneaking isn’t really your strong suit, is it, love?”_ he teased.

Kakashi lifted his head, fangs flashing as he barked a laugh. _“I am not well suited to such things, no, koibito.”_ he said with the barest hint of apology.

It wasn’t _precisely_ his fault, but while Iruka could slip through in his true shape without _too_ much difficulty, his flashy tails aside, Kakashi was taller than a man at the shoulder and went unnoticed _nowhere_.

He could take a human shape as easily as Iruka, but only one - his own - not the easy array of disguises that came as easily as breathing to a kitsune. And his human shape was . . . not much less noticeable - tall and lean, with silver hair and wicked fangs, eyes glowing with fire and lightning, Kakashi _looked_ like what he _was_ \- a deadly predator that walked easily in all worlds, confident in being the most powerful threat wherever he was.

“I could go, if need be.” Tenzou offered, scritching beneath Iruka’s chin and disrupting his idle thoughts.

 _“No!”_ Kakashi snapped, eyes gleaming and fangs bared.

Iruka shook himself. _“No, darling.”_ he agreed, a cold shiver running down his spine. Tenzou looked flawlessly human when he chose - as he did now - but. . .

He might be the strongest of them, but only here in the forest that breathed with his life and power. If he walked away from the trees he would not _die_ , as foolish mortal legends held for his kind . . . not unless he was suspected and caught, kept away from his heart.

And unlike Iruka or Kakashi, he would be helpless to simply reveal himself further and run in the ensuing bloodbath.

“I only. . .” Tenzou sighed, bowing his head.

 _“We know. Please don’t put yourself in such a situation.”_ Kakashi said gently, nuzzling his cheek and neck, and Tenzou smiled again, closing his dark eyes and leaning his head against Kakashi’s.

Iruka wriggled and pushed closer to Tenzou’s body, whining with pleasure when Tenzou’s arms closed around him, feeling the pulse of Tenzou’s heart against his own chest, echoed by the thrum of power that ran through the very earth in this forest, in their _home_.


End file.
